DuPage hospital counselor accused of molesting teen patient

A Bolingbrook man is accused of sexually abusing a teen girl he treated nearly 10 years ago in the psychiatric unit of a Glendale Heights hospital, according to court records released Friday.

Shoaib R. Zaidi, 39, of the 100 block of Commonwealth Drive, was indicted by the DuPage County grand jury Thursday on four counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

Zaidi is accused of molesting a girl between the ages of 13 and 17 on May 3, 2001, and Nov. 20, 2001, while in “position of trust, authority or supervision” over the alleged victim.

The charges describe Zaidi as a behavioral health counselor in the psychiatric unit at Adventist GlenOaks Hospital in Glendale Heights, and the victim as his patient.

“We were shocked to hear of these allegations and have been cooperating fully with the police during their investigation,” said GlenOaks spokeswoman Julie Busch. “Patient safety is always our primary concern.”

Busch said the hospital hired Zaidi as a counselor in July 1998. In 2003, she said, he transferred to another department that did not provide direct patient care. He went back to counseling as a “casual” employee in 2005, working a couple of shifts a month, and was fired Jan. 25, after the allegations surfaced, according to the hospital.

“To our knowledge, this is the only criminal charge of inappropriate conduct ever brought by a patient against one of our staff members in the 30-year history of the hospital,” Busch said.

Court records show Zaidi was arrested in January and later released on $20,000 bond. He has been ordered to have no contact with children other than his own.

Zaidi’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Zaidi is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday in front of DuPage Judge Robert Kleeman for arraignment. If convited, he could face three to seven years in prison or probation, prosecutors said.